Bank staff plan strike, Centre calls for talks

New Delhi: The Centre has invited bank unions and Indian Banks' Association (IBA) for conciliatory talks in an apparent bid to avert the all-India strike on December 16.

The conciliatory meeting scheduled for Tuesday will be chaired by Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner NK Prasad.

The bank unions All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and the All-India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) have given the strike call for December 16 to protest against the proposed acquisition of State Bank of Indore by the State Bank of India.

Bankers are also protesting against Union Government's move to bring in reforms such as privatisation of public sector banks.